Agenda item

Hate Crime

7.1

RESOLVED: On the motion of Councillor Peter Rippon and seconded by Councillor Cate McDonald, that, in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 9.1, the order of business as published on the Council Summons be altered as Notice of Motion 9 had generated significantly increased attendance by members of the public and it was therefore deemed appropriate to take this motion as the next item of business.

7.2

It was moved by Councillor Craig Gamble Pugh, seconded by Councillor Michelle Cook, that this Council:-

(a)      is very concerned by the increases in hate crime reported in the days following the EU referendum and condemns those who use the referendum as cover to seek to hurt and divide our communities;

(b)      was appalled by the attack on a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, USA on 12 June 2016 in which 49 people were killed and 53 others were injured;

(c)      fully condemns hate crime in all its forms, including crimes that are targeted at a person because of hostility or prejudice towards that person’s:

(i)       Disability;

(ii)      Race or ethnicity;

(iii)      Religion or belief;

(iv)     Sexual orientation;

(v)      Transgender identity;

(d)      is concerned that 284 hate crimes were recorded in Sheffield by South Yorkshire Police in 2014/15 – a 22% increase on the previous year;

(e)      is committed to defending the rights of everyone in Sheffield to live their lives free from fear and discrimination;

(f)       acknowledges the work the Council and its partners are doing to combat hate crime in the city, including:-

(i)       raising the profile of hate crime, including publicity materials and briefings for community forums;

(ii)      the Hate Crime Strategic Group’s work to identify new ways of increasing 3rd party reporting centres;

(iii)      the Hate Crime Scrutiny Panel work to review hate crimes and incidents and share best practice; and

(iv)     the work being done by the South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner to ask communities how they would find it best to report hate crime and hate incidents; and

(g)      encourages the public to report hate crime to the police or to local agencies and community organisations, including Sheffield City Council, Victim Support and Citizens Advice Bureaux, who can report incidents of hate crime to the police on behalf of a member of the public.

7.3

Whereupon, it was moved by Councillor Magid Magid, seconded by Councillor Robert Murphy, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by:-

1.       the deletion of paragraphs (a) and (b) and the addition of new paragraphs (a) and (b) as follows:-

(a)      is proud that Sheffield is a diverse, tolerant and inclusive city, but is disturbed by the increases in racism, xenophobia and hate crime reported nationally in the days following the EU referendum, and unequivocally condemns those who would use the referendum as cover to seek to hurt and divide our communities;

(b)      was appalled by the attack on a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, USA on 12 June 2016 in which 49 people were killed and 53 others were injured, as well as by other recent tragic terrorist attacks including in Ataturk Airport, Istanbul, Turkey on 28 June in which 42 people were killed and 239 people were injured, the suicide attack in Baghdad, Iraq on 3 July in which, currently, 165 people have died, and the deadly attack in Dhaka, Bangladesh on 1 July in which 28 people were killed in a 12 hour siege;

2.       the addition of a new paragraph (e) as follows, and the re-lettering of original paragraphs (e) to (g) as new paragraphs (f) to (h):-

(e)      believes that Sheffield City Council has an excellent track record of showing compassion and solidarity for victims of terrorism from other European countries, including by on occasion raising the flags of other nations over the Town Hall following terrorist outrages, and also believes that terrorism knows no borders and demands not only global cooperation to face down terrorism, but also global empathy for its victims;

3.       the addition of a new paragraph (i) as follows:-

(i)       calls upon the Administration to develop a clear policy for raising other nations' flags over the Town Hall, with a view to ensuring that this Council's commitment to global empathy with the victims of terrorism is reflected through the equitable and non-discriminatory use of this important symbolic gesture.

7.4

Following a right of reply from Councillor Craig Gamble Pugh, the amendment was put to the vote and negatived.

7.5

(NOTE: Councillors Andy Nash, Bob Pullin, Richard Shaw, Adam Hanrahan, Joe Otten, Colin Ross, Martin Smith, Roger Davison, Shaffaq Mohammed, Sue Alston, Andrew Sangar, Cliff Woodcraft, Ian Auckland, Sue Auckland, Steve Ayris, David Baker, Penny Baker and Vickie Priestley voted for parts 1(a) and (b) and against parts 2 and 3 of the amendment and asked for this to be recorded.)

7.6

The original Motion was then put to the vote and carried as follows:-

RESOLVED: That this Council:-

(a)      is very concerned by the increases in hate crime reported in the days following the EU referendum and condemns those who use the referendum as cover to seek to hurt and divide our communities;

(b)      was appalled by the attack on a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, USA on 12 June 2016 in which 49 people were killed and 53 others were injured;

(c)      fully condemns hate crime in all its forms, including crimes that are targeted at a person because of hostility or prejudice towards that person’s:

          (i)       Disability;

          (ii)      Race or ethnicity;

          (iii)      Religion or belief;

          (iv)     Sexual orientation;

          (v)      Transgender identity;

(d)      is concerned that 284 hate crimes were recorded in Sheffield by South Yorkshire Police in 2014/15 – a 22% increase on the previous year;

(e)      is committed to defending the rights of everyone in Sheffield to live their lives free from fear and discrimination;

(f)       acknowledges the work the Council and its partners are doing to combat hate crime in the city, including:-

(i)       raising the profile of hate crime, including publicity materials and briefings for community forums;

(ii)      the Hate Crime Strategic Group’s work to identify new ways of increasing 3rd party reporting centres;

(iii)      the Hate Crime Scrutiny Panel work to review hate crimes and incidents and share best practice; and

(iv)     the work being done by the South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner to ask communities how they would find it best to report hate crime and hate incidents; and

(g)      encourages the public to report hate crime to the police or to local agencies and community organisations, including Sheffield City Council, Victim Support and Citizens Advice Bureaux, who can report incidents of hate crime to the police on behalf of a member of the public.